Not looking for the fastest route

From paintingsilove.com

I'll admit that planning the trip can be just as (sometimes more) exciting than actually doing the driving, stopping, seeing, preparing, planning, and panicking which are so common on long road trips. I like maps, I like guide books, I especially like using trip maker tools like AAA Travel Planning application because Google Maps tends to be less effective and you can't put as many stops in as I'd like to! AAA doesn't care, so I just go there and fiddle with the route, since we're not trying to find the fastest route.

If you've never seen the movie Cars, then you may or may not understand why we're looking to avoid the "fastest route" for this particular excursion. Why cut off ten minutes of driving, when you could see something truly worthwhile or edifying just off the highway. Try explaining that to Google or AAA, though, and you get the computer's version of rolling its eyes at you: WARNING! THAT ROUTE WILL TAKE TWO EXTRA MINUTES flashes underneath my neatly edited map, reminding me that I am making a monumental mistake by not taking the interstate highways that were so nicely paid for by our taxes so many years ago.

I've always been the Destination over Journey person in my family. Even as a kid, I had to sit in the front seat (even the uncomfortable front-middle in the station wagon) to see the road that was coming, watch for the exit, read the map, follow the fastest (read: less interesting) route because the alternative (usually my dad's idea) was the "scenic route" that ended up adding precious hours to our drive--as though getting to the destination would satisfy me any more than being in the car would! I've worked very hard to overcome that person and this trip has been really good for me. I can think in terms of destinations (what park/site do we want to see), and how we'll get there the prettiest, most interesting way. Right now I'm trying to tell AAA that I want to drive down Skyline Drive and that I want to take the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to the Great Smokies. Next I'll argue with it about the best routes across Tennessee and Arkansas.

This effort put in early is worth it to me, because it keeps me motivated. I can see the prize in store. I know every turn of the way. Now we just need the funds to do it.